Chapter One
by LaVerne Thompson
writing as "Isis"

Alone.

Erin’s solitude wasn’t going to last for very long. Considering the circumstances she was surprised she’d been left alone for even a minute. Grateful to have this time to herself, she took a deep breath, but it wasn’t because of nerves. This was her faith. She couldn’t wait to take this next journey in her life.

Her gaze was drawn to the bay window that dominated a large part of the room. She found her feet carrying her closer to it so she could look outside. The sky was clear but the way the sun reflected off of Lake Suquamish made it look as though it was frozen. It wasn’t. In fact, according to the news, the temperature outside was a very comfortable 63 degrees and had been that way for the last couple of days. Warm even for this time of year in Seattle, not at all like she remembered last Thanksgiving when most of the country was either frozen or blanketed in snow.

***

One year earlier

From where she sat, Erin watched as the snowplows waged a losing battle. She turned away from the scene only to feel eyes upon her. She didn’t feel any menace, only a sense of being stared at. Besides, there were lots of people around, so she felt safe.

Still, she wasn’t sure how she knew it was the man across the walkway that watched her so intently, she simply sensed it was he. Suddenly, the announcement system came on; distracting her from the man who sat in the one shadowed area of the place. The news this time was what everyone had been anticipating with dread. All flights in and out of O’Hare airport had been cancelled for the rest of the evening. A collective groan resonated throughout the airport.

Erin pulled out her cell phone to call her folks, simultaneously grabbing her carryon that sat on the seat next to her. She began walking to the Starbucks she had spotted earlier. Having anticipated the cancellations, she had made alternate arrangements and was already on standby for a flight scheduled to leave before mid-day tomorrow. At least her name would be at the top of the list if the plane could leave.

The phone stopped ringing when her younger brother answered. Erin thought she’d gained a reprieve from talking directly to her parents but the feeling was short lived when her mother picked up the other line. Tyron hung up quickly at the sound of her mother’s voice. She’d wished he could have just relayed the information to their parents that she wouldn’t make it home until sometime tomorrow but it was not to be. Her mother wasn’t too pleased when told her only daughter wouldn’t be home on Thanksgiving Eve.

"Baby," her mother said. "I know that conference in Prague was over with two days ago. You should have just got on a plane then and come home. Why didn’t you?"

"I’m sorry Momma," Erin said sighing into the phone. Each year she helped her mother prepare the fixings for their Thanksgiving feast. "I thought the weather might delay things and I’m already booked on another flight tomorrow. I should be home just in time to help with the last minute preparations." Erin crossed her fingers and said a prayer of forgiveness for that little white lie.

She was flying standby, but if there was a God, he’d make sure that the airport reopened and she made it home in time to at least set the table. She also felt a little guilty because her mother was right. She could have been home two days ago and avoided the rush. Her folks couldn’t understand why she waited so long to come home. It had been her choice to stay away longer. But they couldn’t understand that either. Unfortunately, they couldn’t understand a lot of things about her. Like why she wasn’t married and raising a bunch of kids, but would rather work so hard, at a job that paid very well, as an international trade broker, but took her out of the country often. They had an even harder time understanding her other job. The one where she wasn’t paid, at least monetarily but kept her away from them when she was even in the states. Yet it was the job that gave her the greatest satisfaction.

She was adopted. Her mother had died giving birth to her and no one knew who her biological father was. Her parents adopted her when she was only four months old. She had been one of the lucky ones because her parents were kind caring people and she had been raised in a loving environment. Not all adoptions went so well, which was why she was on the board of the National Council for Adoption or NCFA. As an adopted child she felt that she was in a unique position to help adoption agencies. She was instrumental in setting guidelines before adoptions but more importantly afterwards. Follow-ups and how to help adopted families cope were her primary focus. Even the best situations weren’t always perfect. She still had trouble connecting and committing to people. Not people really, adults. She had no trouble responding to children.

That’s why she would be late getting to her parents for Thanksgiving. She had visited one of her favorite adoption agencies and stayed to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with some of the children who had so far not been adopted.

Erin turned her attention back to the sound of her mother’s voice. When there was a lull, Erin said a hasty, "I love you Momma. I’ll call you tomorrow," and disconnected the call. She’d never missed a Thanksgiving and she wasn’t planning on missing this one, she’d just be late.

She paused briefly at the entrance to the Starbucks, quickly scanning the place. Surprisingly, it wasn’t over run quite yet, but as a seasoned traveler, Erin knew that wasn’t going to last long. People were in line but there were still a few tables and booths available. Even as she stood watching, people were moving towards the last available seats.

She hastily headed to the very back after spying a small booth in the corner. It was near the bathroom, which was probably why people were leaving it for last. But she wasn’t fussy. She only needed a place to sit and stretch her legs until morning. After all, there was no way to leave the airport. Once the planes were grounded so would ground transportation.

Erin placed her things in the booth and took out a magazine. She’d wait awhile for the line to move before getting something to drink. She hesitated as she looked at the cover of the magazine. It wasn’t her usual type of reading material. It catered to men’s fashions but there was an article in it about one of the adoption agencies she was familiar with. Some movie star had used them in adopting his child and an article had been written on the adoption process.

She thumbed through the pages, intent on finding the article but instead came upon the man that graced the cover. She paused again to stare at his picture and glanced at the first line of the article. His name was Thor and except for the lack of very long blond hair, the guy could have been the god of thunder made flesh. The picture on the cover showed him in a business suit, but the picture on the inside was of him stepping out of the pool. All six foot plus dripping wet, sleek, rippling muscles of him. According to the first few lines, the guy was the newest hottest designer to hit the fashion world.

Well Erin agreed he was hot alright. But guys like that just weren’t real. Everyone knew that the photographers touched up those shots and used all sorts of lighting and angle tricks to get this, ‘I look too sexy for myself’, shot. Besides, guys like that wouldn’t be interested in a five foot four sister, with a little too much up top like her. She wasn’t overweight, not by any stretch of the imagination but she wasn’t skinny either. She was sure he was the type that liked his women to be able to look him in the eye and be one size short of anorexic.

Erin scoffed at herself, even if he were real he was undoubtedly full of himself. She was about to turn the page when a tingle down her spine caused her to raise her eyes above the magazine. She found herself staring into the most amazing hazel tipped with gold irises she’d ever seen. Wait a minute! Her frantic mind yelled. She’d seen those eyes or one’s similar before. She glanced back down at the picture in front of her, to the smiling eyes, oh so white teeth, skin lightly bronzed by the sun and a face that showcased Nordic ancestry at its best. She raised her eyes up to the ones that stared down at her. Nope. No photographic enhancement here.

Erin slapped the magazine down so that the cover faced the table. It was too much to ask that he hadn’t noticed that it was his face plastered on the front. She shifted in her seat as they silently assessed each other. Even if he was on the cover, there’s no way he could know that she had been drooling over his picture. Well not drooling, she didn’t drool, she was merely scanning the article. She raised one eyebrow; the one known to intimidate troublesome importers and exporters alike.

He grinned. The man actually grinned at her like he knew what she had been doing before he approached her. If she could crawl under the table and hide she would have. Instead she just raised her eyebrow higher. And finally found her voice.

"Is there a problem?" she asked coolly.

"Yes," was his response.

Oh lordy, lordy. She wondered if the article said anything about his voice. Not only did the man look like a god; he had the voice of a siren, a male version of one at least. Oh God, the man had only said one word, and she couldn’t wait to hear more. What the hell was wrong with her? She never reacted like this to men. Oh, she liked men just fine, but she’d never had such a strong reaction to one.

She pulled herself together and shook her head to clear his spell; she must be under some sort of compulsion. That’s the only explanation for her bizarre thoughts. She spoke again, keeping her voice unfriendly. "And that would be?"

He angled his head towards his shoulder, causing the golden highlights to shift in his otherwise brunet colored hair, and fall forward to frame his face, causing Erin to swallow the lump that formed in her throat at the effortlessly sensual movement. "The place is crowded," he said. "Do you mind if I share your table?"

Erin leaned over her seat to see around him. He was right. In the few minutes since she’d sat down the place had filled to capacity. She opened her mouth to tell him no to find someplace else to sit but her momma had taught her better manners.

"Sure," she said reluctantly as she moved her things closer to her side.

"Thanks I appreciate it. I see you haven’t gotten anything to drink yet. How about I get you something? My treat. What would you like?"

You naked on a platter. Wait! Hello! Did she say that aloud? Erin watched him like a deer caught in the headlights but his expression merely remained calm, as though he were waiting for her answer to his question. Right. She hadn’t said that out loud. Only thought it. She took a deep breath and hoped he’d think that she was simply thinking over her choices, and not so completely shook up over the presence of the man in front of her.

She finally got her mind into gear and told him what she wanted. He placed his carryon on the seat and said, "Be right back."

But when he turned and looked at the line he turned back to her again. "Well maybe not right back. How about I get us something to eat too? I think we’ll both be here for awhile."

He was right. They may as well order enough so they won’t have to get back into that line again. Cause neither thought as the night wore on it would get any better. "Alright," she said and added a few things to her order.

Erin waited until he was in line and he couldn’t see her before she turned the magazine over and finished reading the article on him. When she was done she quickly stuffed it back in her carryon and took out a paperback by her favorite mystery author.

Thor, the name suited him. Former world-renowned fashion model turned designer mogul of trendy menswear. Nope. The pictures definitely were not touched up, but they should have been because they did not do him justice.

She was reading the first paragraph of her book for the third time when she felt eyes upon her. She’d had the same feeling earlier and had forgotten about it. Now she knew who had been watching her before, the experience was the same. She kept her head lowered but raised her lashes. Yep. It was him. He was watching her now as he had been watching her earlier. She should have been downright rude for the first time in her life and told him to go sit someplace else, preferably on another planet. This man was a lead player on a field of the elite, rich, fabulous and famous crowd, and she wanted no part of his games.

Josh had always been lucky, so wasn’t at all surprised by the turn of events. He had seen the woman as soon as she had taken the seat directly across from him. How could he not? She wasn’t like the women he usually dated but there was something about her that drew his attention. She was very attractive. Not the fashion model, ‘don’t touch me cause I’m so beautiful’ type. But one that seemed more approachable, yet her looks still knocked you in the gut just the same. And his had clenched on sight.

Shoulder length brown hair with russet highlights, beautiful mocha colored skin. Coffee colored eyes he wanted to see glazed with passion, and a rack, he could see when her jacket parted, that would perfectly fill his large hands. The fact she was Black didn’t faze him a bit; he loved all women and they loved him right back.

He told himself if they were supposed to meet they would. He’d make sure of it. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of her, but knew he couldn’t just approach her while she sat in the waiting area. When she got up and began to walk away from him he had grabbed his things and followed.

He had watched as she spoke to someone on the phone and he hoped it wasn’t a husband or a boyfriend. Instinct told him there was no husband, maybe a boyfriend, but that wouldn’t stop him.

It was the day before Thanksgiving and most people were on their way to visit friends or family for the holiday. He was probably one of the few travelers traveling away from his family for the holiday. He’d spent two days with his mother and one with his father, and that was plenty. He sighed. He didn’t want to think about them. He’d rather think about the beautiful woman he was planning on spending the night with. Too bad it would be in a booth at a Starbucks and not in a bed. Still, that wouldn’t necessarily stop him either. They both had coats with them. The thought brought a smile to his lips at the same time she raised her head and looked at him.

Someone jostled him and momentarily broke his attention away from her. It was a tall pretty blond and she had bumped into him on purpose. But he wasn’t interested. He had his sights set on the woman who watched him from the back of the room. When the woman apologized for bumping into him, the line surged forward he moved past her and didn’t look back. His gaze remained locked on the woman in the back.

Erin had never been so aware of anyone in her life. That smile he sent her way had the hair on her body standing on end. Was it too late to find some place else to wait out the storm? The one brewing outside the walls of the airport as well as inside her head.

She watched as some bottled blond brushed her chest against Thor’s arm. Now how pressed is that? But the man didn’t even look at her. He just kept walking even though the blond apologized and continued to stare at his back, willing him to turn around. But he kept looking straight ahead, right at her.

Erin lowered her gaze back to her book. It was certainly safer there. She jumped up suddenly because her jacket began to make her feel too hot. She took it off and threw it on the seat next to her carryon, but she had forgotten that she was wearing a form-fitting v-necked cashmere sweater underneath. She glanced down at herself; maybe she should put the jacket back on. She began to reach for it. No. What was she thinking? She couldn’t, wouldn’t let this guy get to her like this. It was too warm in the place with all the people crowded in there, and she wasn’t going to let him dictate her behavior. She sat back down and returned to her book, determined to become so engrossed in the world of international espionage and intrigue that she wouldn’t even notice the man when he returned. They’d share the table but that’s it.

"I’m sorry it took so long," he said as he placed a tray laden with food, water and coffees on the table in front of her. "But I had to wait for them to make another batch of sandwiches. They ran out."

Erin put her book down. "That’s okay." She looked at all of the things on the tray. It was everything she asked for and then some. "Wow, this is a lot of food."

"Yeah, I figured we’d better get enough to last through the morning. They’re low on supplies. In keeping with Thanksgiving I got a couple of turkey sandwiches, but I also got you a salad."
"Turkey’s fine. Thanks. But this is a lot of stuff. What do I owe you?"

He waved his hand at her. "Don’t worry about it. You’re sharing your space with me, it’s the least that I can do."

Thor shrugged out of his heavy suede jacket and threw it on top of hers. He was wearing a black Shetland sweater that did nothing to hide the width of his chest and shoulders. He sat down and reached for one of the coffees on the tray.

After taking a sip he sat back. "Ah, that’s good. Takes the edge off." He leaned forward and offered her his hand. "I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, but I think you already know who I am," he said with a gleam in his hazel eyes.

So now she was sure that he had seen the magazine she had been reading. But she wasn’t about to let him get away with that.

"I’m sorry. But why?" she asked trying to appear confused. "Should I know you?"

He continued to smile at her and hold his hand out. "No reason at all. My name is Josh Thorneson."

"But I thought…" She watched as he raised one eyebrow. She had betrayed herself, so she took his hand to hide her confusion because she was really confused now. Then the touch of his fingers enclosing her hand sent every thought right out of her head.

Josh wasn’t sure why he’d introduced himself to her using his real name. Usually he used the name his agent christened him with so long ago and one he was widely known by, Thor. It was after all his trademark. But for some reason he didn’t want her calling him that. He wanted to hear his name come out of her mouth.

Plus he enjoyed her reaction. He loved the way her chest rose sharply and fell in that tight fitting sweater. He could tell from the look on her face and her stutter that as he suspected, she had been reading the article on him in the magazine. Unfortunately, he knew what it said and all of it was true, but he wanted her to maybe know another side of him. Now why was that?

"That’s right, Josh is my real name." He continued to hold her hand, long past the time he should have released it. Erin couldn’t figure out why she didn’t pull hers away. "Oh," was about all she could say.

"What’s your name?" Josh asked.

"Erin…Erin Bradley."

"It’s a pleasure Erin, Erin Bradley."

When his thumb began to rub against the back of her hand it caused enough of a jolt for Erin to come to her senses and pull her hand away from his.

"Ah, yeah." Erin couldn’t let this pass; she had to ask. Curiosity had always been her downfall. But hey, if you didn’t ask the question, you might never know the answer. "So okay, I thought your name is Thor."

"It’s a nickname and my tradename."

She shook her head, understanding that at least. She still wasn’t sure what had happened when he’d touched her hand. She was torn between wanting him to touch her again and wanting to get as far away from this man as she possibly could. She grabbed the other cup of coffee on the tray and raised her book in front of her. Trying to project an image of intense interest in her book and an unwillingness to make conversation. That lasted all of a nano-second. Josh didn’t take the hint. In fact, like an inconsequential gnat, he brushed it aside.

"I’ve read that book. It’s a good one. You’ll enjoy it more on the plane though, whenever we get out of here. Talk to me instead."

Erin glanced up at him. She couldn’t believe the nerve of the man, then again she could. "Listen, I’d much rather just sit here and read my book. I’ve got a newspaper if you would like something to read."

"Thanks, but no thanks I’d rather learn about you. Come on. Talk to me." Josh didn’t give her a chance to reply. "Okay I’ll start. I’m heading to a friend’s house in Fresno to a Thanksgiving party. Where everything will have been catered by an exclusive caterer. None of the guests, not even the host will have to lift a finger in its preparation and the place, both the interior and the exterior, will have been decorated with a Thanksgiving theme by the hottest new interior designer, and probably appear in Architectural Digest or some such magazine."

"Wow! I’m jealous. I’m heading to my parent’s place in Seattle. It’ll just be family and maybe a few close friends. My Momma always makes the turkey herself and I help with the sides. Guests usually bring a favorite dish or dessert, but everyone participates in some way. And the only decorations might be on the table or a wreath on the front door. Momma does break out the good china though."

Josh shook his head. "No. I’m the one who’s jealous."

She scoffed. "You. Why would you be jealous?"

"Where I’m going the food will be plentiful and fabulous but be more appropriate for a wedding than a simple Thanksgiving dinner, and there will be a ton of leftovers. You see, everyone’s on a diet so no one’s going to eat much and I’m going to be bored as hell."

Erin grinned at the forlorn expression on his face. "Yeah, right. I’m not buying it."

"No seriously. It will be boring. And the worst part is that there probably won’t even be any turkey."

"What!?"

"Yep. As good as the food will be and even though it’s Thanksgiving, I know my friend and I can almost guarantee, there will be no turkey served. Not even cranberry sauce."

She couldn’t help herself; she burst out laughing.

She was still smiling some fourteen hours later as her plane finally took off the ground. Josh didn’t seem to be at all what she had thought at first. He was considerate and funny. The article on him neglected to mention that. But she could see how he would be a major player on the international playboy scene. She understood his attraction only too well. She was not as immune as she let him think.

His flight left an hour after hers, so he had walked her to her gate and they said their good-byes there. They had spent a magical time together, it was a Thanksgiving she’d never forget, but it was over. They had been two travelers caught in a storm who spent some time together, eating, talking and laughing to wile away the long hours as they waited for their respective flights.

He had wanted her number, and to be able to see her again. They both traveled extensively so they could always arrange to be in the same place at the same time, but she couldn’t bring herself to give it to him. Nor would she take his card. He lived in a world and a lifestyle she was not at all suited to. It was better this way. Just a beautiful memory.

Maybe that was why when he leaned down to kiss her she didn’t try to stop him. She’d never see him again and saw no harm in the fantasy. But my God! It was a kiss she would never forget. He covered her mouth but touched her soul.

Four hours after leaving Chicago she walked through the front door of her parents’ house calling out, "I’m home."

The smells of baking turkey and apple pie were ripe in the air, and she inhaled deeply of it. This was where she belonged and wherever Josh was, that was where he belonged. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel a little sad that it would not be with her.

Eight hours after seeing Erin off, Josh flopped on the bed in the guest bedroom of his best friend’s place. The house was packed, and that was saying a lot since it was some 10,000 square feet. But his friend Brad always kept this room available for him. The Thanksgiving bash was in full swing and normally Josh would have been right in the middle of it. But he wanted to wash up and take a minute for himself.

"Erin," he said her name out loud like a prayer. "What would it have been like to spend Thanksgiving with you, helping you prepare the meal or sitting in the kitchen and watching you do it." He sighed. This was not like him. Well he’d tried to get her number and been shot down. It didn’t happen very often. She wouldn’t even take his number, but he did manage to slip his card in her carryon when she wasn’t looking. He laughed out loud at himself. God, that seemed desperate and he wasn’t a desperate man.

He got off the bed and changed. He opened the door and walked downstairs to the main floor and the mob of people there. The odor of all different types of expensive colognes and perfumes immediately hit his nostrils. There wasn’t even a hint of turkey in the air. And he had been right. It wasn’t even on the menu. It was some kind of fish. The theme for this Thanksgiving was fish of the Mediterranean. For a moment more he wondered what it would smell like at Erin’s house. He shook his head, he’d never know. He stepped forward and threw himself back into the life that he did.

"Holiday Gifts"

Chapter Six
by Savannah J. Frierson

"Josh! Wait!" Erin cried, for once not caring that she was causing a scene. Glad she was in a later boarding zone, she rushed to him even as he stood still and waited. Erin couldn’t tell what he was thinking. His face seemed shadowed amid the harsh airport lighting, and his stance was unyielding. Her eyes darted to his roller suitcase, and his hand tightened around the handle.

"Come with me instead," she said as soon as she reached him.

His eyes widened and he took a step back. "Erin—"

"You’re wrong," she interrupted him, putting a hand on his chest. He was so warm and solid, and the urge to cuddle into him almost overwhelmed her. "I want to be with family for Christmas, and somewhere deep inside, so do you."

The muscle in Josh’s jaw ticked, and he looked at the ceiling. "Erin—"

"Why would you be so involved with adoptions if that wasn’t true?" she challenged, steamrolling over his impending denial. "You want family in your life, Josh. I’d like to offer you mine—at least for Christmas."

"Zones 1–4 to Seattle now boarding . . ."

Erin was Zone 7, and yet she was risking her flight in order to convince Josh to come with her. Erin slid her hand up his chest to his ticking jaw and her thumb caressed the muscle. He looked down at her, and Erin almost grew breathless at the swirling emotions she saw in his hazel eyes. Her other hand framed his other cheek, and Josh bent his head so their foreheads touched.

"Don’t you want to see how a good family is? See what we strive for with each adoption we advocate?" Erin whispered desperately, heartened when his free arm slid around her waist.

"I just want to be with you," Josh confessed on a breath.

"Then be with me and my family for Christmas," she murmured, drifting her nose along his. "Please."

"Zones 1–6. Zones 1–6 to Seattle."

Josh pulled back and looked over her shoulder. "It’s a full flight."

"You can try standby!" Erin said, excited by the prospect Josh would join her.

He sighed, and then moved his face to kiss the palm of her hand that cupped his jaw. "I’ll try . . ."

Erin let out a happy yelp and pulled his face down for a quick kiss. The fact he was willing to try mitigated some of the doubts that had crept into her thoughts while in Vegas. No man, no matter how good the lovin’ was, would risk meeting the folks—over the holidays no less—if he didn’t have some sort of real feelings, right? Erin shoved the questions out of her mind for the moment as they reached the counter, and the announcement of "Zones 1–7 for Seattle" filtered over the PA system.

"Any room for standby?" Erin asked.

The airline representative stared dazedly at Josh. "Huh?"

Erin didn’t know whether to roll her eyes or giggle, especially when Josh looked at the ceiling and heaved an exasperated sigh. "Any room on the flight?"

The rep snapped out of his haze and a blush crept up his cheeks. "Uh, I think it is a full flight, but let me check."

Erin knew this was a long shot, but they had to try . . .

"Final boarding call for Flight 27 to Seattle."

"I’m sorry, everything is booked."

The pronouncements clanged like death knells and called forth the stinging of her eyes with oncoming tears.

"You should go so you won’t miss your flight."

Josh’s breath was warm as it hit her ear, and his lips brushed against her skin. Erin snuggled into him, and he held her close.

"Go on," Josh coaxed. "Go to your family."

"But what about you?" she asked, a bit surprised he was no longer fighting her or begging her to come with him.

"I’ll be fine," he assured her, and he kissed the top of her head. "I’ll call you."

Erin took a deep breath, inhaling his scent to commit to memory. She looked at him and saw the wistfulness and longing in his gaze, and Josh kissed her forehead sweetly.

"Have a safe flight, Erin," he murmured against her skin. Erin gripped the lapels of the brown blazer he wore. Sighing, she pressed a kiss above his heart, and without a final word, spun to the gate and handed the ticketing agent her boarding pass.

"Mmm, honey, I wouldn’t want to go, either!" the older brunette said sympathetically.

"Happy Holidays," Erin said quietly with a tremulous smile.

At least someone should.

***

Hadn’t he been here a month ago? A few minutes past midnight, in this room, in this bed, staring at the dark ceiling while fully clothed—shoes and all? Hadn’t his mind been full of Erin, Erin Bradley and playing their time together on the loop in his head, with special focus on that first kiss? Now, the day before Christmas, his mind’s tape was much longer with much better footage, and Josh was still wondering if he’d ever see her again. She hadn’t called him, and they had parted ways in Las Vegas two days ago. Never mind the fact he’d said he would call, she could’ve at least called to say she’d made it to Seattle safely!

Groaning, Josh sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He spied his BlackBerry on the nightstand. It taunted him with its silence, dared him to call Erin and damn his pride. But she’d made her choice—family over him. He wouldn’t interrupt her time with them, and it was the season for togetherness.

"And yet, here you are in Brad’s guestroom, alone," he muttered, his voice sounding like a shout amid the quiet.

There would be no party tonight, much to Josh’s surprise. Apparently, Brad had convinced his wife to have the party earlier in favor of a quiet Christmas Eve. Josh was thankful for it. He didn’t have it in him to fake the cheer this go round.

He stood and stretched, groaning in the brief pleasure it gave him. He looked around the room, its cream walls and carpet and bedspread appearing gray in full moonlight coming through the window. It was so impersonal . . . so . . . blah. He didn’t want "blah"—not this year. Not anymore.

Josh left the guestroom and went downstairs where Brad sat in the middle of the den, a large foldout spread in front of him, and a mockery of a faux-brick dollhouse.

Josh snickered. "Nice."

Brad snapped up his head, the light shining off his nutmeg bald head. He scowled at his friend. "Shut up."

"This must be for Amber, or else I’d be concerned that Keane wanted a dollhouse . . ."

Brad shook his head, but he chuckled under his breath. "Yes, it’s for my wife. Lucky I love her, too, or else she would be getting a picture of this damn thing for Christmas!"

Josh laughed and sat on the floor opposite Brad. He looked at the garland-draped mantle, and his eyes fell on a picture of Brad’s family. They genuinely looked happy—husband, wife, son. He’d had none of that growing up, and even Erin had adoptive parents who gave her more love and support than his own birth parents had. Hell, Josh had been surprised he hadn’t seen his old man while in Vegas, and was even more surprised he hadn’t gotten his customary request for a "holiday loan."

Well, he wouldn’t jinx himself.

"I ain’t even know black women liked damn dollhouses—!"

"Brad!" Josh laughed.

Brad rolled his eyes and held up the instructions foldout. "I know that wasn’t PC, but really! You watch all those commercials—they don’t even feature the black best girl friend! Bunch o’ blonde little girls playing with those ugly-ass dolls—"

"I’m not going to agree for fear Amber’s super-duper hearing will wake her up, and she’ll hear you talking bad about her dollhouse!" Josh said, tapping into his healthy store of self-preservation.

"She better not come down here!" Brad whispered frantically, leaning back so he could spy the stairs. "This is a surprise! I told her I wasn’t getting this . . ."

Josh’s expression softened. "Well, look at you! Doing something nice for the wife."

Brad sniffed, trying to be unaffected by Josh’s comment. "You know, you could help. A happy Amber is a happy everybody else! Why you think we had Mediterranean instead of turkey this year?! And a party! Think that was my idea?"

Josh laughed at Brad’s teasing rant about his wife’s unconventional Thanksgiving traditions. "I’m even less handy than you!"

"Ah," Brad muttered under his breath, his brow furrowed as he rotated the foldout a full 360˚. "Gotta learn! Don’t punk out and hire a dopey teenager to do it!"

"I doubt Erin would be the type to ever want a dollhouse, though," Josh said, a grin on his face as he watched Brad screw in the dollhouse’s front door.

"Hmm," Brad said, lifting his eyes to Josh. "So that’s her name?"

Josh blinked at him. "What?"

Brad snickered and shook his head, putting down the screwdriver and appraising his work with a critical eye. "Man, the way you’ve been looking since I picked you up from the airport yesterday? A man only gets that look on his face because of love, and since you haven’t come out the closet yet, I assumed you loved a woman!"

Josh scowled. "Love?" What in the world was he talking about?

Brad shook his head and waved the hammer at him. "Don’t even try to play me! A rule about being your best friend is to know you better than you know yourself at times. Trust me, Mr. Thorneson, you are in love with this woman. Might as well suck it up; it’s not going to go away—ain’t that what you told me?"

Josh sputtered a little and ran his hands over the thighs of his slacks. "But that was you—"

"And now it’s you," Brad said, a little too gleeful for Josh’s liking. "Come on, man! Give me details! She fine? She stacked? She has an IQ greater than your body-fat percentage? Because that last chick . . . my goodness, Josh! Made me feel bad my son had more sense than she did—and he’s six!"

"But Amber is brilliant," Josh said. "Makes sense her son would be."

Brad arched an eyebrow. "Like I didn’t play a major part in that conception! The boy looks just like me!"

"Which is why Amber gave him intelligence to counteract that unfortunate defect!"

Brad’s face went blank and he pointed at it. "See this? Not laughing."

"Oh, so sensitive!"

"That’s why your girl’s not here? So she wouldn’t hear me point out all your defects?"

And just like that, all of Josh’s humor went away and he sighed. "She wanted to spend Christmas with her family."

"How dare she?!"

Josh glared at Brad who was smirking at him. "Sometimes I really don’t like you."

"But you love me all the time, so I can deal with that, and I have a hot wife and a kid who adores me, so, I’m not all that heartbroken," Brad said breathlessly, trying to make sure the right wall of the house remained upright. "But tell me about your girl. Because whether you love her or not, as the best friend, I still have to give my seal of approval."

Josh grinned a little and began telling Brad about Erin, he was surprised by how hard it was to talk about her—not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t find the appropriate words to describe how beautiful she was; how fantastic; how glorious; how completely out of his league. Josh did the best he could, however, and when he finished, he sat back and watched Brad win the battle of man versus dollhouse, Brad’s comment about his family echoing in his brain.

When they had been younger and in college, the last thing either of them had thought about was having a family. Though Brad’s family had been wonderful, he’d been too wild and irresponsible to even think about settling down; then he’d met Amber during one of Josh’s Hollywood parties—she an agent to the woman Josh had been dating at the time, though Brad had thought she was a fellow model—and that had been it. Amber made him come right or not at all, and Brad wasn’t that much of an idiot to let "his One" get away from him.

And there was no way Josh would let Brad show him up like that!

"I’m going to Seattle," Josh announced.

"When?"

"Today."

"It’s Christmas Eve today," Brad said, pausing in his efforts to stare at Josh as if he’d lost his mind.

"I don’t care. Erin invited me to go, and I should’ve taken the next available flight to Seattle while I still had the chance instead of coming here."

"Love you, too," Brad said without any bite. "But you’re right—you should’ve gone to Seattle. Not until you help me with this house, first. I want to finish it before Amber wakes up."

"You technically still have a whole twenty-four hours before she gets it."

"I am sleeping tonight," Brad said. "I’m not doing the headless-chicken dance this year! You saw me last year!"

"I actually laughed at you long and hard last year," Josh corrected, chuckling at the memory.

"Yes, so this time next year, I want to be the one laughing at you as you build something completely ridiculous for your Erin! Now hand me that widow’s peak by your hip! At least I hope that’s what it is . . ."

Josh’s grin settled softly on his face as he scooted closer to Brad to help build his wife’s dollhouse. "Widow’s walk," he corrected, ducking the plastic wrap Brad threw at him.

***

It was a Christmas morning tradition in the Bradley household—blueberry pancakes with bacon and ham, tall glasses of orange juice and hot apple cider, and the good china set on the dining room table so everyone could have a perfect view of the decorated tree and the presents exploding from its base. Erin had taken over the majority of the breakfast preparations while Tyron, although grown and in college, still took inventory of the presents underneath the tree and determined who had the biggest present or the most.

"Mom wins again," Tyron announced with a groan.

Erin smiled and shook her head, wondering why her baby brother thought that particular tradition would end anytime soon. She cracked the egg on the side of the glass bowl and poured the yolk and whites on top of the flour inside it. Her mocha-brown fingers were already flour-dusted, and some sugar was sprinkled on them as well. It was a secret, but Erin loved to cook, even if she was usually too busy or too tired to do it. She glanced at the stove where the apple cider was warming in a pot, and where her mother was watching the bacon and the ham.

"Of course I win," Delores Bradley said, winking at her daughter. Even at sixty years old, she was stunning—her hair still black and tied back in a chignon, her butter-pecan complexion still smooth. Very often, Erin and her mother would be mistaken for sisters—never mind the fact there was no blood relation between the two. Of course, Delores ate it up like ice cream, and Erin would sometimes wonder if her birth mother had possessed the genes to age gracefully as well and passed them on to her.

"One day, one year," Tyron vowed solemnly even as he came into the kitchen and kissed his mother’s cheek. Tyron had been a surprise baby for everyone, Delores being thirty-nine and fifteen years into teaching high school science at a district school when he’d been born, but he was no more spoiled or treated more loved than Erin had been when he’d joined their family. Erin had remembered being afraid her parents would give her away now that they’d had their own birth child. Erin’s father Lamont, while Delores had nursed Tyron in their bedroom, had sat on her childhood bed, cuddled her in his lap, and told her in no uncertain terms that they would never give her away to anyone but God.

"And even then we’d put up one hell of a fight!" Lamont had said fiercely, making Erin give a watery giggle and hug his neck tight.

"Smells good in here!" Lamont announced, coming into the kitchen and kissing first his wife on the lips, then his daughter on the cheek. Erin wiped her hands on the towel before capturing her father in a large hug. He laughed in surprise, but returned it just as fervently.

"Merry Christmas, Erin," he whispered and kissed her temple.

"Merry Christmas, Daddy," she muttered into his shoulder, feeling his love for her envelop her entire body.

And to think she’d been in a funk ever since she’d come home. Her parents had noticed, but didn’t approach her about it, knowing Erin always needed some time alone before she asked for help with a problem. Unfortunately, not even they would be able to help with this—a cracked heart. Josh hadn’t called since she’d left the airport, and though she’d pulled out her BlackBerry to call him, he’d promised to do so instead, and so she waited. And waited. And waited until she felt like a fool for believing anything that would come out of Josh "Thor" Thorneson’s mouth. He was a celebrity, after all, a world-famous and world-renowned fashion designer. Why would he keep a promise to her? All they’d had in Vegas was a fling. A phenomenal fling, that had completed her fall into love with that man.

Damn him

"Will you be ready to talk after breakfast?" Lamont asked softly in her ear.

Erin nodded, and she had half a mind to ask if she could cuddle in his lap like she used to do, but she was a grown woman now—thirty years old—they could just snuggle on the couch instead.

Erin pulled back and stared at him. There were creases in his forehead, and his mahogany-hued skin wasn’t as smooth as it used to be, but he was still among the most handsome men to her. Tyron looked just like him, and given the way his cell phone had been constantly ringing and, "Hey, Sheila", "Hey, Tracey", "Hey Layla", et cetera, kept dropping from his lips, it was safe to assume Tyron owed his father a debt of thanks.

Though Lamont’s hair was now more gray than black, it was hard for Erin to reconcile he was approaching sixty-five years old. He was as fit as ever, being the proprietor of Bradley Handy—the small handyman business his father had started—and a part-time basketball coach for the local youth center. He had even strung up Christmas lights along with some members of the basketball team to celebrate the season.

"Well, the sooner we eat, the sooner we can chat," Lamont said, kissing Erin’s forehead again.

"You’re not fooling anyone," Delores said, winking at her daughter. "He’s just hungry!"

"That, too!" Lamont said, not bothering to deny his wife’s claim. "Boy! Come in here and help me set the table! This ain’t my day anymore—men help with the housework now!"

Delores rolled her eyes and snapped a towel at her husband’s bottom.

"Too early for that, now, D!" Lamont said, wagging his eyebrows. Delores blushed prettily while Erin and Tyron shared looks of mild revulsion. They didn’t need to know their parents still got it on!

Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before the Bradley clan was sitting around their table and holding hands while Lamont said prayer. After that, dishes were passed around as everyone took generous helpings of pancakes and sides to enjoy their Christmas breakfast.

"Wonderful as usual, Erin," Lamont praised, right before he started on his second stack of pancakes.

"Thank you, Daddy," Erin said, glad she hadn’t gotten too rusty amid her long hiatuses from the kitchen. She was pouring another mug of apple cider when the doorbell rang.

"I got it!" Tyron jumped up, brushing stray crumbs from his mustache with his napkin before bounding to the door.

"That boy’s got way too much energy," Delores said, shaking his head.

"He’s a Bradley man!" Lamont said with pride. "Of course he does!"

There was a slight pinch in her heart that Erin could never biologically carry that tradition with her own sons should she be blessed to have them, but that pinch turned into an all-out clench when Tyron’s voice carried into the dining room.

"Erin! There’s a white man at the door to see you!"

"Lord, that boy!" Delores said, shaking her head and sighing, and then she frowned at Erin when she didn’t move. "You have any idea who it is at the door, Erin?"

It physically hurt to breathe, and she balled up a fist over her heart that beat much faster than it had a minute ago. "Mommy . . ."

Delores’s eyes softened in understanding. "Go to the door, daughter. Go see your young man."

"Erin!"

Erin blew out a breath and gathered her nerve. She stood, the high-back wooden chair sliding on the khaki-colored carpet and leaving track marks. Erin smoothed down her hair that was free around her shoulders save for a headband, and she checked her slacks and blouse for any stray food. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath to prepare herself, to be strong, then went to the front door just as Tyron was leaving.

"Hmm," Tryon said with a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes at her brother, wondering where he got his gall to comment when his choices of dates were as colorful as a bag of Skittles! When she turned back to the front door, she stopped dead and frowned.

"May I help you?" Erin asked, slightly disappointed that this "white man" was just a postal worker instead of . . . well, it didn’t matter, did it?

The postal worker’s cheeks were rosy, though she was unsure if it was from the chill or her brother’s comment. "I have a package for Erin Bradley?"

"I am she," she said, and went to sign. It wasn’t a large package, really an envelope, but now she was curious as to what it could be.

"Merry Christmas," the postal worker said with a smile and a nod.

"Merry Christmas," Erin said smiling in return, and closed the door. She leaned against the door and tore open the overnighted envelope, and frowned when she saw more envelopes inside—one addressed to her and the others addressed to her parents and Tyron. She didn’t recognize the return address; she didn’t know anyone in Fresno, or at least she didn’t think she did, but she started opening her envelope as she slowly walked back to the dining room.

The doorbell rang again, and she sighed and turned around to open it again. She’d heard of last-minute deliveries, but this was ridiculous!

The envelopes dropped to her feet as her fingers suddenly became nerveless. She gaped, knowing she looked completely unattractive, but at that moment, she couldn’t care less. She remained that way even as the person on the other side framed her face in butter-soft gloved hands and pressed the tenderest kiss she’d ever received to her lips. She couldn’t move, didn’t want to, for fear he was just a vision who would wisp away if she did.

"I love you, Erin. Merry Christmas," came the low rumble against her lips.

"Josh?" she breathed, her eyes still closed and her lips still tingling from the kiss.

He chuckled and drifted his thumb along her bottom lip. "Yes, honey, I’m here. I realized I was a fool to be anywhere else but here with you on a day meant for togetherness."

Erin clutched his wrists, her eyes filling with shocked and happy tears. "You’re here . . ."

His eyes were bloodshot, his face was full of scruff, and he smelled like airplanes and taxis, but Erin didn’t care. She launched herself into his arms, smiled when he laughed and held her close and tight, and curled her fingers into his nape.

"I love you, too, Josh. Merry Christmas," she whispered into the crook of his neck before she broke down and sobbed.

Josh walked them further into the house so he could close the door, then he leaned against it and continued to hold her. His large, warm hand rubbed soothingly along her back, and he rocked them slowly.

"You got my gifts to your family just in time," Josh murmured against her temple.

"Your gifts?"

"I sent them yesterday while I was waiting for a flight here. Open plane tickets to anywhere in the world—including you."

Her mind was still reeling from him being there, her being in his arms. "Yesterday?"

Josh chuckled. "Are we a parrot now?"

Erin frowned and hit him lightly on the chest. "Forgive me if I’m still trying to catch up to everything!"

"Mmm, well, that’s why I’m here, darling," Josh said, tilting up her chin and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "To catch you. Be there for you if and when you need me."

"And will you let me do that for you?" Erin asked, pressing the backs of her fingers against his strong, defined, stubbled jaw. "Catch you? Be there for you if and when you need me?"

"I’m certainly not going to let you be that for any other man outside of family!" Josh said with a grin, and he kissed her again.

***

It was all worth it, Josh thought as he sat on the sofa with Erin tucked to his side and watching her family open their gifts. Being in airports for twenty-four straight hours, being bumped from one plane to another, not showering—all of it was worth it to see Erin’s smiling face and basking in her joy this Christmas Day. Her family had welcomed him so openly when Erin had introduced him, and Mrs. Bradley had made Tyron get one of the chairs from the kitchen and Erin set a place for him so he could partake in their Christmas breakfast. He’d learned how excellent a cook Erin was, and he gave himself another mental kick for almost depriving himself an opportunity to learn more about her.

He also learned how a loving couple was supposed to act—especially one who had been doing it for the better part of thirty-five years. They teased each other, moved together as a unit, but most importantly, Mr. Bradley still looked at his wife as if she took his breath away.

"If I ever see the look of awe, regard, and gratefulness ever slip off your face when you look at my daughter, I’m coming after you," Mr. Bradley had told him when Mrs. Bradley and Erin were sorting the gifts into appropriate piles.

"What about love?" Josh had asked, speaking strictly hypothetically because he couldn’t fathom ever looking at Erin without love reflected in his eyes.

"Her mother will," Mr. Bradley had said, and he clapped Josh on the shoulder and grinned widely. "Merry Christmas, son!"

This truly had been the best Christmas he’d ever had. When Mrs. Bradley had angst about not having a gift for him, he’d reassured her that they’d given him Erin, and Erin had given him a family.

"You have no idea just how profound of gifts those are," Josh said, his throat growing surprisingly tight and his eyes bright. Mrs. Bradley had given him a dazzling smile and Erin had nuzzled his jaw.

"Oh, that’s good," Tyron had said. "I’m gonna use that one day."

Erin and Mrs. Bradley had thrown balled-up wrapping paper at him in response.

"The boy doesn’t lie, though!" Mr. Bradley had said, coming to his son’s defense. "That was good!" Josh sniffled and laughed at that, relaxing even more.

"You must be tired, babe," Erin said to him, bringing him back to the here and now. Tyron was setting up his new mp3 player and Mr. and Mrs. Bradley were discussing when and where they would like to go with the open tickets Josh had given them.

"I’m comfortable right where I am," Josh said, kissing Erin’s forehead.

"We have an extra bedroom you can use," Mrs. Bradley told him. "Erin, go show him."

"She doesn’t have to right now," Josh insisted drowsily. He really was too comfortable to move.

Erin giggled and kissed his jaw. "Come on, you. Up to bed you go to get a proper sleep!"

Josh pouted, but that didn’t make Erin change her mind. Her parents chuckled and wished him a good nap, while Tyron was too busy jamming to his music to even know what was going on.

He gave a half-hearted protest when Erin picked up his roller suitcase and took it upstairs with them, but considering he could barely carry himself to the room, he doubted he’d make much progress with a suitcase, either.

There was a simple full bed in the room with a deep blue comforter. The walls were a light yellow and the carpet was brown. It wasn’t the most attractive room he’d ever seen, but it was already among the most comfortable. He approached the bed, then did a comical freefall upon it, causing Erin to giggle. He scooted up the bed and snuggled into one of the pillows.

"You’d be more comfortable if you undressed," Erin murmured, sitting at the foot of the bed and staring to take off his shoes.

Josh moaned and peered at her over his shoulder. "Stay with me."

A corner of her mouth lifted and she shook her head. "We’re in my parents’ house, Josh."

"Baby, I’m so tired I can barely raise my eyelids, let alone anything else!"

Erin popped him on the ankle, but he heard her giggle. "So bad!"

Turning over, he grinned. "That’s not what you said in Vegas. In fact, you were too busy moaning and groaning to say much of anything outside of ‘Yes! Yes!’"

She popped him on the shin this time. "Not too tired to have jokes, huh?"

"It is a very fond memory I have, sweetheart. After this nap, I’d love to make another one."

The bed rose when Erin stood, and she came around and kissed his forehead. "Have a good nap, baby—Josh!"

He’d banded his arm around her waist and yanked her on top of him on the bed. He grinned sleepily at her, and kissed the back of the hand she’d been hitting against his chest. "Stay."

Heaving a very put-upon sigh, Erin toed off her shoes and snuggled against his chest. "Be lucky I love you," she muttered good-naturedly against his heart.

"I’ll do you one better," Josh promised, his eyelids falling heavy into slumber. "I’ll be blessed".

"Holiday Gifts"

Chapter Seven
by Laura Major

"The things I do for you," Josh muttered as Erin and Delores loaded him and Lamont with the spoils of their post-Christmas shopping marathon.

"Erin, this young man’s a keeper. It takes a special man to tolerate the hustle and bustle of crazed post-holiday shoppers at six o’clock in the morning the day after Christmas. Not to mention the hustle and bustle of the Bradley women." Lamont winked in Josh’s direction as he attempted to gain a better grip on his wife’s purchases.

"Oh Daddy, you’re just happy to have help carrying the packages," Erin laughed. Shopping the day after Christmas was a Bradley holiday tradition started by Delores when Erin was five.

"What about Tyron?" Josh asked as he too began to rearrange his grip on Erin’s bags.

"Tyron? Please, that boy is as bad as Erin and I are. If it wasn’t for all those girls blowing up his cell phone, we’d be worried about that boy," Delores laughed.

"They call it metrosexual, Momma," Erin explained.

"Metro-who?" her mother asked stopping in her tracks.

"Well whatever they call it, it just ain’t natural. The countertops of that boy’s bathroom are cluttered with more products than backstage at a photo shoot." Her father shook his head.

"And what would you know about that?" Erin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, don’t look at me. Your momma makes me watch those fashion reality shows."

"Yeah, I make you watch those shows. Who always goes online to read the blogs about those shows? It sure ain’t me." Delores and Erin laughed as they began to make their way through the center of the mall with their men slowly bringing up the rear.

Realizing that the distance between them and their baggage handlers was growing; Delores stopped and turned around.

"Hurry up boys; I’ve got to get to William Sonoma before all the goods are picked over." Just like Erin, her mother loved to cook. She never passed up an opportunity to find the latest kitchen gadget to make her preparation easier.

"Slow down! If the goods weren’t picked over on Christmas Eve, then they’re sure to still be there now," Lamont responded.

"Just come on," she ordered.

"Yes dear," Lamont answered and then turned to Josh. "Better learn now, that’s the only phrase Bradley women like to hear besides the sound of their own name."

***

Later that evening back at the house, Erin and Josh lounged on the enclosed back porch listening to the icy rainfall crinkle against the fallen leaves in the backyard.

"What do you want to do for New Year’s, Erin?" Josh whispered as he inhaled the perfume scent at the base of her neck.

"Well, I’ll be in Chicago by then."

"Come on, Erin. Wouldn’t you like to ring in New Year’s with me in some exciting locale? I’ll take you anywhere you’d like to go."

"Are you sure that’s all you have in mind?" Erin caressed Josh’s abdomen.

"Of course not. We’ll partake in some exotic New Year’s custom and then make it back to our hotel in time to bang in the New Year in style."

"Boy, you sure know how to plan a romantic evening," Erin replied as she playfully jabbed Josh in the stomach.

"What? Can you think of a better way to end 2007 and begin 2008?"

"I get it; we could create our own fireworks."

"Exactly," Josh murmured as he pulled her chin toward him and planted kisses on the corners of her lips.

"Ah, yes. We could go to Paris," Erin giggled.

Without a word, Josh slipped his hand below the waistband of Erin’s pants. Erin inhaled sharply as he continued his exploration beneath the elastic of her silky thong. "Or we could travel to the land down under," Josh whispered as the rhythm of his fingers increased.

Erin’s heart raced as Josh brought her closer to the edge. Only thoughts of her family interrupting them on the porch prevented her from letting go.

"Relax, this is just a trailer."

"That’s some coming attraction," Erin sighed.

Just then, they heard footsteps cross the kitchen floor followed by a long chalkboard-like squeak the porch door emitted as it opened. Tyron cranked his neck around the edge of the door.

"What do you want Tyron?" Erin asked as she sat up on the lounger. She wondered how long he’d been within earshot.

"Sorry guys, but Josh’s cell has been ringing off the hook upstairs. It rings until the voicemail picks up only to start ringing again a few moments later."

"That sounds important Josh maybe you better check into it." Erin rose from the lounger and held the porch door open for him.

Unsure of who was calling, Josh headed upstairs to the guest room to retrieve his phone. Once alone in his room, Josh checked his phone to find no messages had been left. Scrolling through the missed call log he discovered a number he recognized. But before he could place a return call, his cell rang again.

"Hi Mom. What’s going on?"

"Thank God you finally answered!" Mrs. Thorneson gasped between hyperventilated breaths.

"Calm down and tell me what’s wrong," Josh urged. He knew playing into the drama would only make things worse.

"It’s your father! He’s been arrested!"

"Arrested?" Josh felt a pang of anger mixed with guilt. Obviously, the gambling must have come to a head.

"He went into the office three days ago and never came home. At first, I assumed he was hanging out at that sports bar again and gambling non-stop. But when he didn’t come home on Christmas Eve morning, I got worried. He finally called later that afternoon to tell me he had been arrested."

"What for?" Josh already imagined the answer but even he wasn’t prepared for what was coming next.

"Embezzlement. He was arrested at work and his employer is pressing charges." Mrs. Thorneson burst into tears. "I know your father has his problems but he’s no thief!"

"You should have called me sooner." Josh gripped the phone until it creaked.

"He made me promise not to, but I didn’t know what else to do. I tried to put up the house only to find out we don’t own it anymore."

Josh’s eyes burned at the thought of his father signing over their home to settle some gambling debt. Obviously that was a quick fix that did not help for long.

"I’m in Seattle right now; I’ll catch the first plane to Chicago as soon as possible." Josh ended the call and grabbed his travel bag. From experience, he was use to rushing around the globe to make modeling shoots in record time. Josh was packed in a matter of minutes.

Erin was anxious to know what was going on. In an attempt to give him privacy, she had waited downstairs in the kitchen for him to return.

After her third cup of hot chocolate, she finally heard Josh’s footsteps descend the stairs. She looked up as he entered the kitchen with luggage in hand.

"Is it that bad?" Erin asked setting her empty cup on the table.

"I’m sorry Sweets; I have to leave for Chicago right now. Would you call me a cab?"

"No, but if you give me a minute, Tyron can take us."

"Erin, baby no. You stay here and enjoy the rest of your holiday. This is something I must take care of on my own."

"Haven’t you learned anything from being with me and my family these last few days? You’re not just going to dash out of here without an explanation, Josh. Besides, I have to be in Chicago in a few days for the NCFA anyway. What difference does it make if I arrive a few days early?"

"There’s no time, Erin please, I have to go." Josh felt his heart rip as Erin’s eyes began to glaze over. "I don’t want to ruin what’s left of your holiday."

Erin moved toward him and caressed his cheek. "Don’t you see? You made my holiday. It has never been more complete."

Josh closed his eyes and pulled her into a warm steady embrace. "Let’s get going."

With that Erin moved into the living room and bounded up the stairs like a gazelle ascending a mountain. "Tyron!" Erin shouted as she headed to her room to pack.

An hour and a half later, Erin and Josh were waiting at the gate for their flight to board. Knowing they would get on the plane together brought about feelings Erin wanted to savor indefinitely. Josh, having brought her up to speed on the way to the airport, was unusually quiet. Once their zone had boarded they slept the whole flight through using each other as support.

When the plane landed in Chicago, Josh led Erin to a cab waiting curbside. "Give him the address to your hotel. I’m glad you were able to call ahead and confirm that you can check-in a few days early."

"I had to really pull some strings, but they recognized that I’m a repeat guest," Erin replied, grateful that things were working out on such sort notice.

"We’ll drop you off first." Josh instructed.

"If you think we are going to part ways for even a moment, then that jetlag must be really getting to you." Erin crossed her arms with her eyebrow raised.

Josh grabbed Erin’s shoulder trying to soothe the challenge laid before him. I appreciate you coming with me, really I do. But I can’t expect you to tag along while I sort this mess out."

"What do you think love is, Josh? It’s not bedroom romps and skinny-dipping in exotic locales. It’s cleaning up the messes and unpacking the baggage. It’s carving out that personal existence where we can be ourselves, together. Love isn’t about being together only when it’s easy."

Josh could see the hurt in Erin’s eyes. He realized she wanted to be there for him as much as he wanted to be there for her. Josh climbed into the cab and reached out for Erin’s hand. Once the cabbie returned from loading the luggage into the trunk he leaned over the seat and barked, "Where to?" His request was met with dead silence.

Josh squeezed her knee, "Erin, please."

Erin announced the hotel’s address to the cabbie without meeting the two pairs of eyes that gazed upon her. After the twenty-minute drive, the cab came to a stop in front of the their destination.

Josh handed the cabbie the fare before joining Erin at the back of the cab. The driver released the trunk and Josh lifted the lid. Erin, not having anything left to say, reached inside for her luggage and headed to the hotel’s revolving doors. As Erin rested her arms on the concierge’s desktop, she felt a presence behind her and a pair of hands encasing her waist.

"You didn’t think I was going to let you walk away from me again, did you?"

***

"Flight 1374 with service to Miami now boarding."

"You’ll be back in time for New Years, right?" Erin asked trying to ignore how boarding calls were constantly interrupting her relationship with Josh.

"Wouldn’t miss it…" Josh leaned in close to Erin’s ear, "besides, you and I have plans for a bedroom romp around midnight."

"Oh, get on that plane so you can hurry up and get back here!" Erin planted a kiss on Josh that he would never forget and she didn’t care who saw it. She then hugged Raymond and wished him well. She didn’t like the idea of Josh taking his father to the residential treatment center alone, but she knew this couldn’t be an easy step for father and son.

Josh had been through a lot these last few days, paying back the money his father pilfered, getting him on probation in exchange for a three-month stay at a residential treatment center specializing in gambling addiction and avoiding the media. Not to mention, the toll this had taken on Josh’s mom, who was devastated to find that the man she loved all these years is no longer the man she knew. Without her, they were now traveling to Miami and then on to Anna Maria, Florida for check-in.

Erin had insisted on accompanying them at first, but even she knew when to step back if only temporarily. She was resigned to use this time while Josh was away to wrap up some loose ends for the NCFA and visit the local Bethany Christian Services center which was responsible for over 400 adoptions within the last ten years. The visit brought on feelings of sadness as well as hope as she thought about the children who would end the year without a family to call their own. At the same time, the impending New Year brought the anticipation of a new day where a loving family was still possible for these children.

Despite a long draining day, Erin was unable to sleep. She brewed a cup of coffee in the mini coffee maker the hotel provided to soothe her spirit. As she poured the steeping hot liquid into her cup, the phone began to ring.

"Oh, I’m glad you’re still awake. I got Dad checked in safe and sound but I have to make a stop in Houston for an emergency meeting about the new T.I.P.S. site."

"It’s almost New Year’s, Josh. Can’t you just call into the meeting from Miami?"

"I wish I could, but I have to be there. What’s the matter?"

"I visited some of the foster homes associated with Bethany today. I kept thinking about all those children ending the year without a family of their own."

"I know, babe. That’s why it’s so important that I make this meeting. It could bring in more support for our cause."

"I know. I just wish I could do more--," Erin sighed as a tear fell into her coffee. She was beginning to understand the disappointment her family must have felt every time she put work first. She felt guilty for having those pangs of selfishness for wanting Josh with her. Those children needed Josh and his work with T.I.P.S. as much as the NCFA needed her.

"I promise to be back in your arms before the New Year dawns."

"You better."

"Tell me what you want to do and we’ll do it, no matter what it is."

"Really, no matter what?"

"No matter what."

"I’m glad you said that. How about we show the Bethany kids a New Year’s like they never imagined possible?"

"A New Year’s party for the unadopted?"

"Not just the unadopted, but the newly adopted as well. Think of the hope it would instill in those children, and the gratefulness for the newly adopted and their parents. We could turn it into a fundraiser for T.I.P.S. and the NCFA, too."

"Erin, baby, that’s a great idea, but is there enough time?" Josh didn’t want to dash her newly revived spirit.

"Come on, Josh. With your celebrity status, we can do this."

"Okay. I’ll try to rent the Loft and the Aquarium Room at the Kaleidoscope there in Chicago, the owner owes me a huge favor. You arrange the rest, OK?"

"Oh Josh, I can’t wait. I love you."

"I love you too, Sweets."

***

It was the morning of New Year’s Eve and Erin was enjoying the morning paper over a cup of coffee and an apple streusel muffin at the local Starbucks. When she opened the paper to the Entertainment section there it was staring back at her. The ad read:

"There is no other place to be than the Kaleidoscope on New Year’s Eve. Join special guests Thor and Erin Bradley for New Year’s Around the World, a unique New Year’s fundraising party and celebrity auction to benefit T.I.P.S and the NCFA. This is one party that won’t require a babysitter. Come prepared to bid on some one-of-a-kind celebrity possessions. Fun activities will be planned for the children in the Kaleidoscope Aquarium."

Erin stared at the large ad featuring Thor with the Kaleidoscope as his backdrop. "Finally, a publicity stunt I can agree with," Erin thought to herself as she finished her muffin and coffee.

When Erin mentioned giving their party a multicultural theme that would represent all the cultures of children in attendance, she could not begin to imagine the ideas Josh would set into motion. She was too busy rounding up invitations for the three local adoption centers and the numerous foster homes in the city. Erin had resigned to let Josh handle all the venue and theme details from Houston, while she arranged for the children’s transportation, and recruited additional sponsors for the food and music.

Knowing with an event like this, missing one minor detail could be disastrous, she had a couple more loose ends to tie up. With that in mind, Erin swallowed the last of her coffee before picking up her cell phone to make a call.

"Hello there, this is Erin Bradley, co-coordinator for the New Year’s Around the World party being held at the Kaleidoscope." Erin waited patiently while the caterer pulled up the file. "Yes, I know Mr. Thorneson was working with you, but I just wanted to be sure that this will be a dry event. You understand it is a fundraiser for underprivileged children? Uh-huh…bottled water, sparkling apple juice and grape juice will be fine. Please add ginger ale to the menu as well. Yes. Thank you." After ending the call, Erin breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she had made that follow-up call. At least now the parents wouldn’t be too drunk to drive their kids home," she thought.

As Erin stepped out onto the sidewalk, her cell phone began to ring.

"Hi Josh, I was just thinking about you."

"Really? Which part where you thinking about?" Josh asked with a husky laugh.

"I can’t answer that, I’m in public," Erin laughed back. "Seriously, I just called the caterer and I had to remind him that this is supposed to be a dry event. Honestly Josh, what would you do without me?"

"Hopefully, knowing what it’s like without you will be a very distant memory."

"Oh, your parts are coming back to mind."

"You’ll have to fill me in later, much later than I originally thought, actually."

"No, you’re not going to miss this event are you?" Erin stopped in her tracks without any warning to the passersby around her.

"No, of course not. But I will be later than I expected."

"Josh, I’m really beginning to get tired of this."

"Erin, honey, I promised to be holding you before the clock strikes midnight and I intend to keep that promise. I’ll just meet you at the venue that’s all."

"What about the decorations?"

"All taken care of. As a matter of fact, the crew should be setting up as we speak. I promise there is nothing left for you to do but make sure you’re the most stunning New Year’s babe at the party."

"Okay, Josh," Erin, sighed.

"You’re going to owe me another peace offering if you’re not careful, and trust me, cinnamon pastries won’t do this time."

Erin wasn’t ready to give in yet, but Josh always knew exactly what to say and unlike other men, he usually followed through.

Resolved to indulge in a much needed spa treatment and a new dress, Erin went on with her day in prep for the big evening.

***

Determined to do a walk-through before the guests arrived, Erin went to the Kaleidoscope early.

"Buon anno. You must be Ms. Bradley. Please come in and let me show you around before the guests arrive." The venue manager ushered Erin into the main courtyard. Even though the Chicago winter had taken its toll on the landscaping, the lights made the brick archways hardly look bare.

"Happy New Year to you too. I hope I’m not too early?" Erin remarked as she followed the manager through the main floor and up the stairs to the Loft.

"Not at all. Mr. Thorneson just called and mentioned you might arrive early for a walk-through. Hopefully everything is to your liking."

Erin laughed to herself "Am I that predictable," Erin thought to herself as she followed him into the pub-style Loft. Upon entering, a member of the wait staff looked up from setting the buffet table to greet her. "Bonne annee."

Erin reciprocated the New Year’s greeting, grateful that her travels kept her Italian and French sharp.

The scenery of the tropical Aquarium took Erin’s breath away. It was like a scene from Under the Sea. She was so stimulated by her surroundings she didn’t hear the bandleader greet her.

"Felix sit annus novus." The band members smiled with a twinkle in their eyes that hinted at the magic that was yet to come.

"Latin, too?" Erin asked the venue manager. Her left-brain was definitely getting a workout. Erin moved deeper into the Aquarium taking stock of all the special decorations. Even though one area of the room was sectioned off for the children, the international theme was ever present. There were framed pictures of distant locales and a table filled with bowls of grapes for the Spanish custom of eating a grape with each of the twelve strokes of the clock at midnight. Fortune cookies representative of Chinese custom, collard greens, corn bread, ham and black eyed peas as well as confetti colored popcorn balls were also present. Surely this would be an evening the children would never forget.

***

After hours of greeting, eating, drinking and networking, it was time for the auction and Josh was nowhere to be found.

Erin, feeling a bit anxious, went in search of the venue manager.

"It’s ten o’clock and Mr. Thorneson hasn’t arrived. I don’t think we can put off the auction any longer." The manager informed Erin once she caught up to him.

"Well, I imagine we better get started." The manager led her to a stage at the front of the Loft. Erin took a quick survey of the celebrity baubles and trinkets before picking up the spare microphone lying at the end of the auction table.

Twenty auction items later, Erin came upon the last auction item; a cell phone.

"Is this right?" Erin asked the audience as she held up the phone. "I do believe the last item up for bid is a cell phone."

The crowd fell silent with only the sound of the children playing in the background. Suddenly the phone began to ring.

"Well, as your mistress of ceremonies, it is my duty to tell you the features and benefits of this item up for auction. Maybe the caller can help me out." With that Erin answered the phone, holding the microphone for all to hear.

"Hi Sweets."

"Josh? Where are you? What’s going on? Whose phone is this and why is it on the auction table?" Erin’s mind was racing. She knew he had to be in the building watching her at that very moment.

"Honey, if you’re done playing twenty questions, maybe we should get on with the conclusion of this auction."

"This better be good, Josh," Erin answered with a tight smile.

"Oh it is. Instruct the crew to shine a light on the bar."

Erin did as she was told pointing the microphone in the direction of the juice bar. The spotlight followed the length of her arm until it rested on Josh’s frame standing behind the bar. The room erupted in applause as Josh gave one of those smiles that put him in high demand on picture shoots all over the world.

"Ladies and gentleman, give Ms. Bradley a warm ‘thank you’ for all of her hard work this evening." The spotlight left Josh only momentarily as the crowd followed his instruction with thunderous applause for Erin’s efforts.

Once the spotlight returned to Josh’s gleaming hazel eyes, he continued. "Ms. Bradley is absolutely right; the disposable cell phone is not up for auction. Frankly, there’s nothing very special about it. Anyone can pick one up at the local convenience store. But what is up for auction deserves a special introduction."

Josh scanned the crowd as the room fell silent and the anticipation continued to build.

"Tell us Josh, there’s only fifteen minutes left before the New Year." Erin demanded, playing along despite not knowing how this game would play out.

"Okay, Okay. The item up for auction is for the gentlemen in the audience. There was a lot of fine jewelry up for bid tonight. Well fellas, it’s your turn. I am auctioning off, my little black address book." The audience erupted in applause and laughter. "Don’t worry; I’ve obtained the permission of everyone in this little book." Josh held up the address book for all to see. "And be prepared to sign a confidentiality agreement if you win this little gem. So let’s start the bidding." As the auctioneer began to monitor the bidding war, a second spotlight followed Josh as he made his way to Erin.

"Do the ladies get to bid on a date with you?" a female voice called out.

Erin spoke up before Josh could respond, "Sorry ladies, I’d outbid you all." Just then Josh stepped onstage next to Erin, pulling her into his arms.

"Are you sure about this? Being unattached is part of Thor’s appeal," Erin whispered.

Josh looked into her eyes, rubbing his nose against hers. "I only want to appeal to you." As the clock struck midnight and the balloons fell from the ceiling, Josh and Erin entered into an embrace that rivaled the fireworks that exploded across the Chicago sky.

"Holiday Gifts"

Epilogue
by LaVerne Thompson

Present

A knock on the door broke her reverie. Erin glanced at the lake once more before turning away from the window. It was time. The door opened and her father stuck his head in. He pushed the door all the way open and stepped across the threshold.

"Ah, baby. My baby. You look beautiful." Lamont Bradley’s eyes began to blink rapidly, like he was trying to hold back tears.

"Oh please, Daddy, don’t start because if you start I will too." This man may not share her DNA but they shared a lot more. Love. He was her father in every way, and each day of her life she knew she was loved.

"Start what?" He shrugged his shoulders. "It isn’t everyday my daughter gets married. So if I have to blink my eyes a couple times, no one can blame me."

Father and daughter hugged.

Her father gently pushed away from her but continued to hold her hands. "Your mother and I both love you very much and we are so proud of you. We think Josh is a good person, and I’ve already spoken to him and told him he better treat you like the treasure you have always been. If not I know where he lives."

"Oh Daddy, stop," Erin said smiling.

"Now that’s better," her father grinned back.

Another knock sounded on the door. Both father and daughter turned in time to see the wedding organizer standing in the open doorway with her headphone plugged in one ear, and a white tablet PC held against her chest.

"The music will begin in precisely two minutes for the matron of honor to start down the aisle," she said. "I need you in places please."

"Are you ready, baby?"

"Yes Daddy. I’m ready."

Erin watched with pride as newly adopted, three year old twins, Jasmine and Jessica dressed in matching cream and white dresses, Josh had designed for them, walk down the aisle. They were followed by Adam, the ring barer, dressed in a miniature version of Josh’s tux, except his cummerbund was autumn green while Josh’s was burnt orange. Josh had designed the clothes for everyone in the wedding party, except for Erin’s gown. Erin wore her mother’s wedding dress.

Adam kept a close eye on the twins, making sure they followed their role just like they practiced. With luck, and before Christmas, Adam would also be adopted. Her matron of honor, Amber, Brad’s wife, had already gone ahead of the children, escorted by Tyron. Amber had become like a sister to her, which was perfect because Brad was like a brother to Josh and his best man.

Soon it was her turn. The organist struck up the traditional wedding march, and Erin and her father followed more slowly and gracefully down the rose petal strewn path. What she really wanted to do was hike up the long train and run down it. Her gaze never left Josh.

The first time she ever saw his beautiful eyes, they held the same look then they held now. Awe. But they hadn’t rushed their relationship—much. They waited before they got married and had been living together for almost a year now. Someone once said you should at least go through all of the seasons and holidays with a person before you married them. Well they had come full circle.

It just seemed fitting that they get married on Thanksgiving Eve. Josh would finally have that turkey dinner he missed last year, along with cranberry sauce and homemade apple pie. And they would have Thanksgiving dinner with all of the people who meant the most to them, which included both of his parents. His dad had been attending gamblers anonymous everyday for the last nine months now, finally admitting that he had a problem. It was at least a first step. And through it all, Diane, his mom had been very supportive, even attending some of the meetings with Raymond, and letting him move back home recently. She hoped it would work out for her in-laws.

But Erin had no more room for thoughts of others. As she stood in front of Josh, and gazed into his eyes, she found tears pooling there, but she could also see the love. Oh, so much love brimming over and shining out from his soul, blending perfectly with her love for him.

"Happy Thanksgiving," he managed to whisper hoarsely. Before wrapping her hand around his arm and turning with her to face their faith, together.

Their beginning…